Stretching is an important for people of all ages to maintain good health and physical posture and strength. Stretching is particularly important for athletes or anyone who is involved in sports activities or just general exercise. Additionally, stretching is beneficial to people who have undergone physically therapy to recover from surgery or an injury. Often times, people do not take the time to stretch, and as a result, either re-injure themselves or incur a new injury. Consistent stretching is known to improve flexibility, range of motion, circulation, overall muscular health and elasticity of muscles, endurance and metabolism, just to name a few of the benefits associated with stretching.
Even though stretching provides a person's body with numerous health benefits, it is often a neglected aspect of fitness. A primary reason for this may be that stretching to a person's full potential is difficult. Though there are machines that can help a person stretch properly, they often are bulky or do not allow a person to achieve a fully stretched position.